Five individuals were inducted into the EAA Warbirds Hall of Fame in 1995. Paul Poberezny, Walt Ohlrich, John Baugh, Bill Harrison and G.L. “Jerry” Walburn.
Paul Poberezny
Paul Poberezny has been in love with airplanes for as long as he can remember. In high school he restored a primary glider, taught himself to fly off auto tows and made nearly 3,000 flights in the aircraft.
Over the years Paul has logged more than 30,000 hours of flight time. He has flown more than 386 different types of aircraft, a great number of which have been both propeller and jet military aircraft. His distinguished Air Force career spanned almost 30 years, during which time he served as a pilot, test pilot and flight instructor. He is a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. He is the only person to earn all seven aviation wings the military offers…without the benefit of initial military flight training. His most notable achievement is, of course, the founding of the Experimental Aircraft Association and leading it through its first four decades.
Paul says he can’t remember a day when the word “Airplane didn’t cross his lips, and he’d also be the first to tell you that he’s learned more about people in his lifetime than he ever did about airplanes.
Walt Ohlrich
During the initial Reno National Air Races in 1964, U.S. Navy Commander Walt Ohlrich discussed with friends the possibility of forming a club to serve as a clearinghouse of information to keep World War II-era racers airborne.
From those talks grew the Warbirds of America, an organization of owners and operators of World War II combat aircraft. Walt became Warbird member No. 1 and served as the group’s first president. In 1967, after returning from a combat tour in Vietnam, he moved the organization to a new home and, with the help of EAAer Jerry Walburn and EAA President Paul Poberezny, the Warbirds of America became a division of EAA. Since then, thanks to the vision of Walt Ohlrich, the organization has grown to 6,600 members and 13 Squadrons worldwide.
Like the motto that he chose for the Warbirds of America, Walt has been committed for more than 30 years to Keeping ’em Flying.
G.L “Jerry” Walbrun
Jerry Walbrun purchased his first warbird, a Fairchild PT-19, in 1950. A string of restorations followed, including a PT-26, a BT-15, an AT-6 and a T-28. An avid World War II aviation enthusiast and owner, he was one of the first pilots to attend an EAA Convention in a warbird. A newly purchased P-51.
Jerry has flown in the airshow circuit in his Mustang and SNJ-5, has been a member of the Six of Diamonds flight team and led T-6 formations at the EAA Convention at Oshkosh. He was instrumental in the formation of the EAA Warbirds of America division and has held all four of the organization’s elected offices, including president. In 1987 he joined the staff at EAA Headquarters, where he played a significant role in establishing EAA’s governmental policy.
Prior to devoting his talents to EAA, Jerry spent 35 years in marketing and field services with the Buick Division of General Motors. Now residing at the Leeward Air Ranch near Ocala, FL, he continues to lend his expertise to EAA and plays an active role in both EAA and Warbirds of America activities.
John Baugh
John Baugh is still known to Warbird enthusiasts as the pilot of the P-51 “Miss Coronado” which he owned for many years and flew at airshows and fly-ins across the country. A Navy veteran, he is a successful Lebanon, Tennessee businessman with a Commercial pilot’s license and instrument, single and multi-engine, instructor, rotorwing and seaplane ratings. His first love is warbirds, however, and he has flown, owned or restored a PT-23, PT-17, Messerschmitt 108 and 208 and a 1955 T-34B, in addition to his Mustang.
John served five one-year terms as Warbirds of America president, formed the first Warbird Squadron and is a member of the Warbirds board of directors. In 1990 he was appointed by the governor of Tennessee to serve on the Tennessee State Board of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division.
John has an excellent rapport with all phases of the flying community and loves to serve aviation for the greater benefit of all.
Bill Harrison
William E. “Bill” Harrison learned to fly at age 16 and has owned, restored and flown many different types of Warbirds, ranging from helicopters to piston bombers to military jets.
Bill is an orthopedic hand surgeon from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has been an active member of the Warbirds of America since 1971. He has served on the organization’s board of directors, served two two-year terms as president, as well as serving on the board of the EAA Aviation Foundation. In 1981 Bill and his fellow members of “B-17 Around the World, Inc.” donated their B-17 to the EAA Air Adventure Museum where it has become a star attraction in the Eagle Hangar and on its nationwide tours.
To Bill, the best thing about being a Warbird member has been the opportunity to meet the many wonderful people who share his love of aviation and military aircraft.